Why Aberdeen Angus? For us here at Pease Pottage,the answer is simple. The cows are hardy, fertile, good foragers, and generally need less human intervention, provided they are well looked after, and given the correct diet of grasses, “herbs”, clovers, and grains.
The cows produce a calf every year, with low failure rates , and the birth is mostly straight-forward with smaller, viable, lively calves that are ready to get up and suckle the life–giving colostrum from their dams. Cows mostly calve themselves, and rarely need help. Calves thrive and grow well, with good weight gains.
Calves are weaned from their dams at about nine months old, and will continue to be fed a diet based on grass or silage with plenty of clover, giving a protein rich ration for solid growth of a well fleshed animal carrying enough fat to give marbling and flavour, but not the excessive fat layers which people no longer want. All in all, a carcase of high quality, with superb eating quality including taste and tenderness.
Our Pottage Herd is a member of the British Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society, who are responsible for the breed standards and record keeping for its members. It has strict rules to maintain the integrity of Aberdeen Angus cattle, including DNA recording of all bulls in use. This is necessary as the Angus is a world beating producer of superb beef, and eating quality is paramount for customer satisfaction.
The Aberdeen-Angus breed is recognised throughout the world and is the only beef breed to have true “brand” characteristics. In an era where easy management, economy of production and superior beef qualities have never been more important, the Aberdeen-Angus offers endless advantages for many livestock systems.
With support from retailers such as Waitrose and Marks and Spencer and food outlets such as Burger King, demand for Aberdeen-Angus is soaring, presenting commercial beef producers with a huge opportunity to produce a product which the market requires and is prepared to pay a premium for.